mtmetzger
NAXJA Forum User
- Location
- Versailles, KY
I've had my 95 XJ for a couple weeks now and I'm waiting for my RE lift to arrive (hopefully tomorrow). My Jeep didn't come with stock tow hooks, so I figured I would visit the junk yard to find a set. I ended up getting a set of BEEFY Ford loops. I originally welded a 1/4" plate to the bottom of the "frame" and bolted them up. After doing some research on here, I decided that they may not be strong enough, so I considered other options. (New bumper, Detours backbone, just adding bracing to my plates I made, etc)
The only thing I didn't like about the detours system was the large winch plate sticking out of the top. Since I do not yet have a winch, I don't want it there, I also figured I could do better than around $300 shipped. A lot of the aftermarket bumpers are expensive and some only mount to the 3 original bumper bolts. The front receivers made for the XJ just use the sway bar bolts and a couple other holes to secure it to the bottom of the "frame"
I got some inspiration from this thread where Love2Ride450 made something similar: http://www.naxja.org/forum/showthread.php?t=934995 I like the idea of getting a hitch mounted winch plate so I could keep it in the garage until I hit the trails and I could transfer it to the back if I need to.
I decided to make a front mounted hitch receiver because it will serve many purposes:
1 - Provide a solid mounting platform for some recovery hooks
2 - Beef up the front of the weak frame
3 - Reinforce the steering box area
4 - Provide a secure place to mount a winch (later on)
5 - Provide some protection for the front end
My local Metal Supermarket has everything I need in stock and I plan on visiting them in the morning to have them cut everything to length and punch holes where I need them. Then all I have to do is weld everything up!
I'm still debating on using the ford loops or just getting some 3/4" plate trimmed up and running some D-rings on the front.
Any thoughts / comments are welcome. Thanks!
The only thing I didn't like about the detours system was the large winch plate sticking out of the top. Since I do not yet have a winch, I don't want it there, I also figured I could do better than around $300 shipped. A lot of the aftermarket bumpers are expensive and some only mount to the 3 original bumper bolts. The front receivers made for the XJ just use the sway bar bolts and a couple other holes to secure it to the bottom of the "frame"
I got some inspiration from this thread where Love2Ride450 made something similar: http://www.naxja.org/forum/showthread.php?t=934995 I like the idea of getting a hitch mounted winch plate so I could keep it in the garage until I hit the trails and I could transfer it to the back if I need to.
I decided to make a front mounted hitch receiver because it will serve many purposes:
1 - Provide a solid mounting platform for some recovery hooks
2 - Beef up the front of the weak frame
3 - Reinforce the steering box area
4 - Provide a secure place to mount a winch (later on)
5 - Provide some protection for the front end
My local Metal Supermarket has everything I need in stock and I plan on visiting them in the morning to have them cut everything to length and punch holes where I need them. Then all I have to do is weld everything up!
I'm still debating on using the ford loops or just getting some 3/4" plate trimmed up and running some D-rings on the front.
Any thoughts / comments are welcome. Thanks!